Shadows Running in the Wind
by Elastic
Summary: When Temari becomes Suna's amabassador, Shikamaru tries to convince himself that he doesn't like her. But how much can his genius mind really convince him about what he feels?


Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
Please read the author's note at the bottom if you have questions.

Shikamaru stood there by the village gates. _What a drag_ , he thought, _why couldn't Tsunade just tell me who I'm waiting for_.

Why did she have to make everything so difficult? She could have at least told him if he was waiting for a male or female. Shikamaru complained to himself Who is this person that's so special anyway to get a higher class ninja like himself to escort them around?

 _I bet he's just a total stuck up with a lot of money just get higher rank. But know Tsunade, she has more up her sleeve for…_ He stopped mid-thought because he saw Temari, of all people, walking through the gates. _God, she's beautiful._

He realised where his brain had taken him and tried to rid himself of the idea. However, he couldn't deny the fact that she was beautiful to him. She had not seen him yet, which was a good thing to Shikamaru. He thought about making a brake for it because he had spent the two months after the chuinin exams just trying to get her out of his head. No, he decided to stay because if she did see him, he could just tell her he's waiting for a client. Plus he wanted to talk to her. Shikamaru knew that he liked her but he would not admit it out loud not even to Choji. Although, Choji had the sneaking suspicious he liked her too but every time he brought it up Shikamaru would change the subject.

Shikamaru thought it might be best to approach her; greeting her before she could tease him seemed like the better idea. She was showing her ID to the guards when he said "Well look who's back. How troublesome." Temari recognized the voice immediately and spun towards Shikamaru. She gave him a flash of her cocky smirk, "Hey crybaby, what have you been up to lately?"

"Shikamaru? Shikamaru, where are you?" Choji called

"Choji!" Temari called out, happily.

"Hey Temari." Choji chimed. He and Temari weren't exactly on the best terms when she left last time but they weren't enemies either.

"Being uncharacteristically friendly, are we?" Shikamaru probed.

"You tell me how grateful you would be after not seeing anyone you know for three days and then get here and be greeted by two friends." she replied, "Because let me tell you, it feels good just using my voice. Why? Want me to kick your ass instead Nara?"

"Uh…" he stuttered. He didn't understand what about this aggressive woman that made his heart go crazy "Other than that, were you looking for me Choji?"

"Oh yeah. Lady Tsunade sent me to make sure you found who you were escorting." Choji explained

"Good, she didn't make this too troublesome." Shikamaru said.

"You're here to escort someone?" Temari's voice turned up at the end making her question almost seeming like a surprised statement.

"Mhmm, Lady Tsunade is making me escort someone around the village for the next two weeks. What a drag."

"Uh Shikamaru, you're escorting Temari around for the next two weeks." Choji said with a hit of a laugh.

Shikamaru went wide eyed. His genius brain didn't even think of that when he watched her enter Konoha. _Maybe these two weeks will teach me that I shouldn't like her,_ he began so try to see the strategies he could use to convince himself of this for the next two weeks.

"Anyway," Choji remarked "My mom's making lunch so I'm taking off." Just as he was about to leave he whispered into Shikamaru's ear "Good luck."

Temari just looked at the ground wide eyed letting out slow puffs of air.

"He's always hungry." Shikamaru remarked, "So why do you need an escort? You've been here before and it's not like you can't take care of yourself."

"Well I'm the ambassador of the Sand Village now." Temari explained, Shikamaru let a look of understanding cross his face, "I think it's more of a formality really; wouldn't want it to look bad on Konoha"

"Probably," Shikamaru agreed, "I heard Gaara was Kazekage so it would be suiting job for you being his sister and all."

"Yep, well be my escort, and escort me to Lady Tsunade."

"Like you don't know where it is."

"It doesn't matter." she said with a smile and walked away.

"These next two weeks a going to be troublesome, I know it." and followed Temari

Temari and Shikamaru knocked on Lady Tsunade's door and which was instantly met with a "Come in" from Tsunade. When she saw that it was Temari she seemed ever so slightly more polite but Shikamaru knew it was all just an act.

"Hello Lady Tsunade. Here is the message from Gaara." Temari greeted as she gave her the scroll.

"Well thank you Temari. I sorry dear, but I'm afraid I have some bad news."

Temari had a weird look on her face but it wasn't so from the bad news as it was from her calling her dear, but she shrugged it off and asked what the bad news was.

Author's note: So I wrote this many years (like a lot) and posted it on DeviantArt. I recently found the story again and it has since been taken down from that website (so if this seems at all familiar that would be why). But because I had a couple of friends who still watched Naruto and with the show coming to end and all I recently got reconnected with sentimental feelings toward the show. I really have felt this need to touch up the story again, actually finish it this time and get it out. I can't say how ambitious I will be about this but I can say the first couple of chapters should be out in relatively good time.  
Now because I wrote this so long ago, I don't really know at what point in the show in was suppose to take place. So the characters may be a little OCC and the timeline may seem wrong. Please try to bare with me on this.  
Thanks for understanding! Please R&R


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